Electric-light switch



F. S. RIGGS.

ELECTRIC LIGHT SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 26,1919.

Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

IN VENTOR. y -S WITNESS: 5M

ATTORNEY.

F. S. RIGGS.

ELECTRIC LIGHT SWITCH.

APPLICAI'VION men JULY 26.1919.

Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

IN VEN TOR. ,9: 1%,?99-5' WITNESS:

J ATTORNEY.

FLETCHER S. BIGGS, OF MARSHALL, TEXAS.

ELECTRIC-LIGHT SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

2 Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

Application filed July 26, 1919. Serial No. 313,444.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FLETCHER S. RIGGS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Marshall, in the county of Harrison and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric-Light Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric switches, particularly adapted for use in energizing electric lights employed for various purposes and designed particularly for use in connection with a signaling system such as that shown in my Patent No. 1,279,159 of September 17th, 1918, in which are provided four electric lights, and the switch has for its purpose to permit the energization of any one of the lights separately, either two opposite ones at a time, or all four simultaneously. v

An important object is the provision of a switch of this character which is provided with means readily operable whereby the selected energization may be accomplished in a quick and thorough manner.

An additional ob'ect is the provision of a device of this character which will be simple and inexpensive in manufacture, highly efiicient in use, durable in service, and a general improvement in the art.

lVith the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of my device,

n Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view therethrough showing the parts in normal position,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the semispherical operating member moved to energize one of the lights,

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a similar view on the line 55 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to Fig. "2, showing the disk operating member moved to energize opposite ones of the lights, and

Fig. 7 is a diagram of the electric circuit.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the letters A, B, C and D designate electriclights which it desired to energize either singly, in'pairs, or all together. The

letter E designates a suitable source of cur-' rent, and F designates my control switch as a whole.

In carrying out my invention, this control switch comprises a circular base 10 through the center of which extends a bolt 11 and through which extend other bolts 12, 13, 14 and 15. A wire 16 leads from the central bolt 11 to the source of current E and other wires 17 18, 19 and 20 lead to the lamps A, B, C and I), each of which has one terminal connected with the source E.

Disposed upon the center of the base 10 is a spacing block 21 upon which is disposed a metallic contact strip 22 which extends transversely of the base and which is disposed in alinement with and in spaced relation to the bolts 12 and 14. Disposed upon the strip 22 is a second strip 23 disposed at right angles thereto and arranged in alinement with and in spaced relation to the bolts 13 and 15. A casing is provided and comprises a cylindrical portion 24 secured upon the sides of the base 10 and a semispherical portion 25 and this casing is provided with openings to permit the passage of the end portions of the contact strips 22 and 23, as

shown. Extending from the base 10 are pins 26 which engage within holes in the contact strips 22 and 23 for holding them against or 15, to effect energization of the corresponding lamp, I provide a shell 27 which is h semipherical in shape andfwhich is slidably mounted upon the semispherical portion 25 of the casing. A handle 28 is secured upon this shell and has secured thereon a coil spring 29 which extends through a hole of appreciable size in the center of the semispherical portion 25 and which has its other end connected with a cross bar 30 extending across and secured to the semispherical portion 25. It will be seen that in order to effect energization of any separate one of the lamps, it is only necessary that the operator grasp the handle 28 and slide the shell so that the edge thereof will engage the end of the contact strip 22 or 23 which is adjacent the bolt 12, 13, 14 or 15, as the case may be, which is connected with the lamp it is de- I weaves sired to energize. When the shell is thus moved it will engage the end of the strip which projects beyond the casing and will move the strip into engagement with the ad- 5 j acent'bolt whereupon current will flow from the source E through the central bolt 11, through the strip 22 or 23, through the bolt engaged by the contact strip, and through the lamp associated therewith, back to the source. ltwill thus be seen that any oneof the lamps may be energized at a time.

In order that two opposite ones or all of the lamps may beenergized at the same time, I provide a disk 31 which is revolubly en- 5 gaged upon the bolt 11 and which is provided with a handle 32 operating within a slot 33 in the casing portion 25. At diametrically opposite points, the disk 31 carries on its under side, relatively short arcuate lugs 34 and35, and at diametrically opposite points at right angles to these lugs, carries on its under side, relatively long arcuate lugs 36 and 37, and the disk 31 is movable so as to bring selected opposite ones of these lugs in 5 engagement with the contact strips 22 and 23. In order to energize either pair of the lamps A and D or C and B it is necessary that the operator grasp the handle 32 and move the disk 31 either in a clockwise or in a 0 counter-clockwise direction, as the case may be, whereupon the relatively long lugs 36 and 37 will engage and depress the opposite ones of the contact strips 23 or 22, depending upon the direction of movement, whereby 3-5 the circuit will be closed through either the bolts 12 and 14: and their associated lamps, or through the bolts 13 and 15 and their associated lamps In case it is desired to energize all the lamps simultaneously, it is 40 necessary that .the operator rotate the disk 31 to a greater extent in either direction whereupon the long lugs 36 and 37 will depress the ends of one contact strip while the short lugs 34 and 35 will depress the ends of the other contact strip. The circuit will then be closed through all of the lamps.

.From the foregoing description and a study of thedrawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a readily operable switch whereby'any desired arrange ment of energization of a plurality of lamps may be efi'ected, and while my device is shown and described as particularly adapted for use in connection with the signaling device in the patentabove referred to, it will bolt and arranged in pairs, contact strips disposed upon said central bolt and arranged in spaced relation to said pairs, of, bolts, a casing connected with said base and having a semispherical portion, said casing being provided with openings for the passage of the end portions of said strips, and

a partially spherical operating shell slidable upon the semispherical portion of said casing whereby to engage and depress one end of one of said contact strips into engagement with the adjacent bolt.

2. A switch of the character described comprising a supporting base, a bolt extending centrally therethrough, a plurality of contact bolts disposed about said central bolt and arranged in pairs, contact strips disposed upon said central bolt and arranged in spaced relation to said pairs of bolts, a

casing connected with said base and having 85, v

a semispherical portion, said casing being provided with openings for the passage of the end portions of said strips, and a partially spherical operating shell slidable upon the semispherical portion of said casing whereby to engage and depress one end of one ofrsaid contact strips into engagement with the adjacent bolt, and means for normally holding said operating shell in inoperative position comprising a cross bar within the semispherical portion of the casing and a spring connected at one end with said cross bar and connected at its other end with said operating shell,-the semispherical portion of said casing being provided centrally with a hole for the passage of said spring.-

3. A switch of the character described comprising a supporting base, a bolt extending centrally therethrough, a plurality of contact bolts disposed about said central bolt and arranged in pairs, contact strips disposed uponfsaid central boltv and arranged in spaced relation to said pairs of bolts, a casing connected with said base and having a semispherical portion, said casing being provided with openings for the passage of the end portions of said strips, a partially spherical operating shell slidable upon the semispherical portion of said casing whereby to engage and depress one end of one of said contact strips into engagement with the adjacent bolt, and means for de pressing the end of all of said strips simultaneously.

'4. A switch of the character described comprising a supporting base,'a bolt extend ing centrally therethrough, a plurality of contact bolts disposed about said central bolt and arranged in pairs, contact strips disposed upon said central bolt and arranged in spaced relation to said pairs of bolts, a casing connected With said base and having a semispherical portion, said casing being provided with openings for the passage of the end portions of said-strips,

and a partially spherical operating shell slidable upon the semispherical portion of said casing whereby to engage and depress one end of one of said contact strips into engagement with the adjacent bolt, and means for depressing the ends of all of said strips simultaneously, said means comprising a disk rotatable upon said central bolt v and having an operating handle extending through a slot in said casing, and lugs on 10 the under side of said disk engageable With said strips. V

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

FLETCHER S. RIGGS. 

